


The Metahuman Segment

by archer_nebulae



Category: Static Shock
Genre: Canon Character of Color, Canon Disabled Character, Canon Gay Character, Electromagnetism, Female Character of Color, Gen, Post-Season/Series 04, Superheroes, Technology
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 13:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13660272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archer_nebulae/pseuds/archer_nebulae
Summary: Richie's made a cure for the cure, but that's not the end of Static and Gear's difficulties in Dakota City.Post-Season 4.





	The Metahuman Segment

“And back to Dakota News 7, it’s six-thirty pm, at your local source for the ins-and-outs of Dakota City. Here’s our host, Stan Hartley.”

Stan blinks at the camera. He shuffles some papers.

“Thanks Debra. Our last segment for tonight is a familiar one folks, the weekly meta-human report. And today also marks three months since Doctor Donald Todd began spraying the meta-human cure through the city. At this time, the meta-humans Hotstreak and Ebon are still unaccounted for. If you have any information about their current whereabouts or last location, please call the hotline scrolling below.

“Two other well-known meta-humans still have their powers - Static and Gear - who have been making semi-regular appearances - catching human criminals and assisting at the Dakota Community Center. At this time, these two heroes are the last of the bang babies - aside from Hotstreak and Ebon - to retain their powers. Doctor Todd will speak with us today on the subject.”

The camera pans out, and reveals Doctor Todd seated in a comfortable chair next to the desk. His orange hair is even more obnoxious in the studio lights. The TV behind the two men continues to play clips of Static and Gear flying through the city.

“Evening, Doctor Todd,” Stan says. “Tell us about Static and Gear. Why do they still have their powers when no other bang babies do?”

“As scientists, we consider everything. From the first day of implementation of the meta-human cure, all the bang babies were expected to have been cured by the end of two and a half months. That time frame accounted for individuals outside main population centers, and who received low doses - both of which can lead to a slower-acting cure.”

“Neither of those factors fit Static and Gear.”

“Quite true.” Todd leans forward, tapping a pen on the desk. “They’re often spotted throughout Dakota City, and through highly populated areas of the suburbs. Either in their civilian lives or on ‘patrol,’ they’ve had enough proximity to and consumption of the cure for it to have taken effect almost immediately. For how frequently they make appearances, we actually expected them to be some of the first to return to normal.”

“Is the cure partly ineffective then? Why are these two - the only two heroes, no less - immune to it?” Stan asks.

“It’s not that the cure is even slightly ineffective; it’s very effective and that’s been proven with over ninety percent of the bang babies cured.” Todd replies. His hand gestures are sharp cuts through the air. Todd continues, “Instead, there is an unexpected variable, which has reduced the viability of the cure in these unique circumstances. This variable could include serval things.

“One option is that their bodies have mutated even more - to become resistant or immune to the cure. This is probable, since they were exposed to an early trial of the cure and assisted in its final form. The other regrettable possibility is that they have purposefully engineered a cure to our cure - in other words, they created a method to resist the meta-human cure, and so retain their powers.”

“Why ‘regrettable’?” Stan asks. “Surely it’s inspiring that these young heroes take initiative - even if to remain mutants.”

“Perhaps,” Todd says. “At the same time, it’s regrettable that through their initiative, they’re inherently acting against the state governor’s legislation. In addition to how youthful these heroes are, their actions could put them in an uncomfortable legal situation.”

“And yet it was only during our first interview together,” Stan remarks, gesturing between them, “that we learned about the airborne meta-human cure being released through the city. And that interview took place one month into the cure distribution process. How much legal footing would the government have, since they hadn’t made the distribution of the cure - and its legislation - public in the first place?”

“I’m don’t think I’m the right person to answer that,” Todd says.

Stan waves a hand. “We’ll call in the legal experts for back-up next time,” he says. “Returning to the variables in this situation, tell us more about how they were exposed to an early trial. Did both or either hero volunteer to assist in research for the cure?”

Todd chuckles. “Not exactly. Static and Gear first became involved after apprehending Aquamaria. After a conversation with Static, she consented to test the cure. This process was sabotaged by Hotstreak, which lead to temporary complications for Aquamaria. Gear later analyzed a liquid sample of the cure, and concluded that the antidote itself needed electrification, which allowed for the cure to be stabilized.

"Now while delivering some of this cure to Aquamaria," Todd continues, "they were partially exposed, because as Aquamaria absorbed the liquid cure, it spread throughout her form. Liquids naturally fill in available space - that’s a quality for that type of matter. So Static and Gear likely encountered some of the liquid cure, during their confrontation with Aquamaria, as her liquidious form contacted them.”

“Do you have any concrete data to confirm this?” Stan asks.

“Sadly no. This proposed variable is based on both first-hand experience with Static and Gear, and their account to me about how they delivered the initial burst of stabilized cure to Aquamaria. That dose helped reduce and stabilize her form, so that she ceased absorbing all water into herself. And at the time,” Todd adds, “none of us thought to have Static and Gear remain for testing - we were all too focused on how Aquamaria was progressing!”

“How about for the second variable? What evidence do you have that these two heroes have the knowledge and equipment to develop their own sort of cure?”

“That’s already answered as well. I mentioned that it was _Gear_ who initially concluded the antidote needed electrification? Well, he did this by simply looking - or at least we think so, it’s hard to tell through that full-facial-visor - at the liquid sample in its vial. Testing in our own lab confirmed his on-the-spot analysis. Since he managed that conclusion outside of a lab and testing equipment, it’s not implausible for him to develop his own cure to maintain his meta-human status.”

“And the full capabilities of which, we don’t even know,” Stan adds.

“Exactly.”

“Along that thought, we’ve had a previous segment about the _gear_ that Static and Gear use. For the most part, seemingly self-made or thrift-store bought clothes. For the more complex items - the strange metallic backpack and rocket skates, and the metallic plate that Static magnetizes - we concluded that the duo actually makes these things themselves.”

Todd nods in reply. “My team and I have concluded that as well. Definitely, there’s no known retailers for rockets skates - that would be the next big thing, all the kids would be clamoring for it. No, the duo’s adaptability and, Gear especially, inventiveness, makes it likely they’ve the knowledge to create anything - or any tools they need.”

“With those questions answered, are there any further steps you and your team are taking?”

“We are not currently taking any actions, though like any true scientist, we always have research in progress. If Static and Gear are interested, my team would enjoy discussing these surprising circumstances together; I invite them to contact me.”

“And with that open invitation,” Stan says, the camera refocusing on him alone, “that concludes the weekly meta-human segment at Dakota News 7, your source for local news. Stan Hartley signing off, thank you for your time, and good night folks.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is a small writing project I'm working on. I hope to keep exploring the Post-S4 ramifications for Virgil and Richie. There'll be chapters from both Virgil's and Richie's povs, exploring stuff about their powers, friendships, family, communication with the JL, and the effects of superpowers and reactions to powers in their community. All interspersed with the news reports.
> 
> I'm also working on irl stuff at the same time, so I can't promise regular updates right now. 
> 
> With that, I hope ya'll enjoyed!


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